The Best Memory Foam Mattress In 2024 – A Buyer’s Comparison Guide

Although most memory foam mattresses are similar in the sense that their uppermost layer is made of memory foam, there are plenty of other differences that you’ll need to consider in choosing the best memory foam mattress. I know it can be downright annoying to come across the many different complex jargons and labels especially when it comes to mattresses, so I’ll try to keep things simple here.

There are 4 main things to consider in your mattress purchase: thicknesslayerswarranty and average rating.

1. Mattress Thickness

All types of mattresses, including memory foam, will have thicknesses that vary anywhere from 6 inches to over 13 inches. Thickness matters for 2 reasons: weight of the user and mattress price.

Weight

The rule of thumb here is that a heavier person should use a thicker mattress. Otherwise, if he were to use a mattress that’s too thin for his weight, that’s when the mattress will feel too firm, and thus uncomfortable.

Generally, if you weight above 90 kg (or 200 pounds), you should get a mattress that has at least 10 inches of thickness. If you weigh below 90 kg, you don’t have much to worry about here, though I’d still stay away from anything below 8 inches because that’s where manufacturers start to really skimp on the materials and the mattress will feel really firm regardless of your weight.

Price

A thicker mattress will be more expensive because of the additional materials put into it, so it makes no sense for someone who weighs say, 80 kg (or 175 pounds) to purchase a 14-inch mattress, when there’s a cheaper 10-inch mattress of the exact brand and model.

2. Mattress Layers

It is very rare to find a mattress that’s completely made out of memory foam. Almost all of these mattresses will have multiple layers in them (usually 2-4).

Uppermost comfort layer

The top layer of a memory foam mattress will be made out of, well, memory foam. Despite being very well-received since its inception, some users have claimed that the traditional memory foam tends to feel warmer than other types of mattresses.

This has led to the creation of something called gel-infused memory foam. These newer gel-infused versions supposedly help with air circulation within this top layer itself in order to keep the body cooler.

Middle layers

Some memory foam mattresses actually come with 1-2 additional layers in between the top and bottommost layers. These middle layers offer additional comfort or support. For instance, some mattresses have extra layers of airflow foam to allow even better air circulation for a cooler mattress.

Base support layer

The base layer is usually the thickest of the bunch and consists of higher-density foam solely for the purposes of support. Nothing much to look at here.

3. Warranty

A long warranty period is great for 2 reasons. Firstly, it offers peace of mind since you’ll be protected from any potential defects that may arise in the future. Defects such as a sinking mattress or loss in firmness are some of the most common problems that people have faced, even in the most popular brands.

Secondly, it shows confidence on the part of the manufacturer on the quality of its products.

4. Average Rating

Finally, and most importantly, you should really look at the average rating and reviews of a particular mattress before you purchase it, since that’s the most accurate representation of how good it is. Individual or so-called “expert” reviews simply won’t cut it since they can be very biased.

With that said, after combing through some 50+ memory foam mattresses from the most popular brands, I’ve come up with a list of the 5 best memory foam mattresses that are available today:

Memory Foam Mattress Comparison Table

What Mattress Am I Using?

Just in case you’re wondering, I’m currently using a Tuft & Needle foam mattress. The reason why I didn’t include it in the table above is that it’s technically not a memory foam mattress, but rather polyurethane foam.

From a practical viewpoint though, it could easily pass off as one. Does this mean it’s inferior? No, it certainly isn’t. In fact, it’s even better than a lot of other memory foam mattresses that I’ve tried in the past because it simply doesn’t retain as much heat as many denser memory foam mattresses that do not have sufficient cooling attributes.

I’ve woken up all sweaty during the night from a couple of memory foam mattresses that I’ve tried and returned over the years, but not this one. Firmness-wise, it did take me a while before I got used to it (about a whole week).

I have switched to the Tuft & Needle mattress from my previous innerspring mattress, which was incidentally way too soft for me and which had partly sunk in at certain areas, so the difference in firmness was definitely noticeable. I’ve also had shoulder and neck problems for as long as I could remember, but they’ve slowly disappeared over time ever since I made the change. I couldn’t think of any other lifestyle changes besides my mattress and pillow (also memory foam), so this must be it.

But I want a true memory foam mattress, nothing else!

Okay, okay, if you’re picky about things, any of the top 5 mattresses in the table above would be excellent choices. Personally, my body gets really hot at night while I’m sleeping and I sweat really easily, so a warm bed without sufficient ventilation or cooling is a no-no for me.

dynasty mattress

Thus, if you have a similar problem, I’d go with DynastyMattress since it has some of the best cooling attributes for a memory foam mattress, thanks to its dual 2-inch airflow foam layers in the middle in addition to its already gel-infused memory foam layer at the top.

There might be a slight chemical odor as you unpack the mattress, but just air it with the windows open for about a day, or leave the fan on for a couple of hours if you can’t wait and it should be good to go. In fact, many other mattresses have the exact same problem but it’s nothing a little airing wouldn’t fix.

The DynastyMattress also has the longest warranty period (30 years) I’ve ever seen in any mattress brands and I’m a sucker for warranties, so..